KOBE (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police on Monday arrested a bureau chief of the Kobe Newspaper for allegedly picking up a teenage prostitute one year ago, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Jan. 12).
In December of 2013, Hironori Nakanishi, the 57-year-old head of the newspaper’s Hanshin bureau, is alleged to have met the girl, 16, at a hotel in Kobe’s Ikawadanicho area of Nishi Ward for an illicit encounter in which he fondled her breasts. He paid her 20,000 yen.
The suspect, who became acquainted with the girl on a deai-kei matchmaking site, has been charged with violating a Hyogo Prefecture ordinance regarding the protection of young people.
“It was matter of dating a young girl with compensation, and I thought that I had confirmed that she was over 20 years of age,” Nakanishi said in referring to the practice known as enjo kosai.
The matter came to light after the girl ran away from home and was taken into protective custody by Osaka police last April.
“Due to stress in my daily life, I continued to engage in enjo kosai,” Nakanishi said.
When reached for comment, a representative of the Kobe Newspaper offered an apology. “After the facts of the matter are confirmed, this will be dealt with in the most strict manner,” the representative said.